Exploring North PAKISTAN

There was a foreboding in visiting the lush vale of Swat, given the stories of visitors to the so-called ‘Pakistani Switzerland’. One had not visited the famous spots of Malam Jabba, Kalam, Maho Dhand, etc in decades. So, one hopped up to visit the erstwhile serene valleys — some old and some newly discovered.

Swat has attracted substantial official attention, funding and patronage due to Mehmood Khan, the incumbent K-P Chief Minister, who hails from the Matta area. The Swat Motorway peters off from the M-1 (Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway) at Capt Karnal Sher Khan Interchange between Swabi and Mardan. This two-lane Motorway takes you to Chakdara… the entry point of Swat, Dir and Chitral, through tunnels that now connect Mardan and Malakand Divisions.